Oklahoma State undecided on starting QB for TCU game

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said he'll decide at the end of the week who the Cowboys will use at quarterback against TCU at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Stillwater, Okla.

Denton Guyer ex J.W. Walsh injured his knee Saturday against Iowa State and will miss the rest of the season, Gundy announced Sunday. Wes Lunt, who started the first two games, was replaced by Walsh when he was injured Sept. 15 against Louisiana-Lafayette. Lunt, a freshman, has been practicing since the week after the injury but has not played in a game since.

Junior Clint Chelf has played a reserve role the past three seasons, including two games this season and has completed 4 of 8 passes. Gundy said Lunt's workload in practice has been increased over the past two weeks.

"Clint and Wes will both get reps this week," Gundy said. "We'll just have to see where we're at at the end of the week. At the end of the week, based on where we're at as a team and how we feel like those guys are performing, we'll decide who will play."

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Walsh was injured in the first quarter but remained in the game Saturday.

"Some players can disregard pain," said Gundy, who referenced a book he's reading about Navy SEALs called Fearless. "The guys that train and become Navy SEALs and how they can ignore pain and still perform at a high level. Some people, some players, can get injured and still perform at a high level and that's just the type of player and person he is."

Gundy also announced that senior tight end Justin Horton is out for the rest of the season after an injury against Iowa State. Horton had three catches for 59 yards.

"As a coach, one of the most difficult things to stomach is when you lose a guy for the season," Gundy said. "Because these guys work so hard year-round to be able to go play 13 Saturdays in the fall."

Jayhawks flying right

Kansas coach Charlie Weis is in his first year of a rebuilding project that may take longer than he expected. Texas coach Mack Brown, whose Longhorns (5-2, 2-2 in the Big 12) play at Kansas (1-6, 0-4) at 11 a.m. Saturday, says he sees progress in the Jayhawks.

"I think they're well on their way," Brown said. "They're a much better football team than the one we played last year. Just watching them last night and this morning, he's headed in the right direction. They're running the ball well. They're physical."

Weis took over a team that was 1-16 in the league the previous two seasons. Brown said he could commiserate with Weis' rebuilding project. Texas has started 34 true freshmen over the last two seasons, including 16 in 2012.

"It is kind of difficult, but I'm kind of doing it, too," Brown said. "The first thing everybody wants to do is fire their defensive coordinator because everybody's got a quarterback and everybody can move the ball. Charlie, to me, is one of the great coaches in the country. To hire [defensive coordinator] Dave Campo was just a brilliant choice. I think they're well on their way."

Weis said people outside the conference don't realize how talented the Big 12 has become.

"They're missing the boat," Weis said. "I'm just in the grind of going through this schedule [for the first time]. There's tons and tons of talent and every week you're dealing with another set of problems. It doesn't make a difference who you're playing. Competing is great. Sooner or later, you've got to beat somebody. That's the next step you got to make."

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Texas Tech played at Kansas State in the first Big 12 Conference game Aug. 31, 1996. The Wildcats won 21-14. On Saturday, the teams meet for the 10th time in conference and the first time as ranked teams.

The third-ranked Wildcats (7-0, 4-0 in the Big 12) won the first three league meetings before No. 14 Tech (6-1, 3-1) won five consecutive games. Kansas State snapped the losing streak with a 41-34 win in Lubbock last year. The Red Raiders led 28-20 before Kansas State outscored them 21-6 in the second half. The Wildcats blocked two field goals and returned a kick for a touchdown.

Key stats

7Big 12 teams in the top 13 in scoring offense, including six in the top 10. All seven are averaging over 41 points a game.

48Touchdowns scored by Big 12 teams last week compared with 47 punts.

765Yards rushing for Oklahoma State running back Joseph Randle, who leads the Big 12 Conference and ranks eighth nationally with 127.5 yards per game.

Quotable

"I'm 73 years old. I hardly remember what happened yesterday, let alone 1998." -- Kansas State coach Bill Snyder on trying to compare his 1998 team with 2012's

"We have what I believe is the deepest league in the country and facing that each week starts to take its toll." -- Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads

"We're not good enough right now to beat anybody unless we're playing with intensity and playing at our highest level. Older teams do it better than young ones. Our staff has to be very demanding, along with me." -- Texas coach Mack Brown